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Doggie Daycare: a review

I was struggling with what to do with my dog while I was at work all day. My dog is a Dalmatian, and she is deaf. Her name is Holly. I couldn’t leave her home all day because she would need a bathroom break at some point, and I couldn’t get home to let her out. I also didn’t want to pen her up in the backyard. It is mostly a poured cement patio with no real lawn to speak of. Cleaning up the poop and pee would be icky. So I looked into doggie daycare, and I love it.

What is doggie daycare?

Doggie daycare is a place I can take my dog during the day. It’s like a group doggie play day all day long! They have separate yards for the big dogs and small dogs. The dogs are left in groups, and they spend the whole day either playing or relaxing. But they are always with other dogs.

How does it work?

I found a company that I liked and one that had a location near me, or at least on my way to and from work. I drop Holly off in the morning on my way to work. The best part about this is the company has a website with webcams! I can watch Holly all day long! I can see when she goes to play with other dogs and when she goes off by herself to nap. The staff are really great. They constantly check on the dogs. When I’m done with work, I pick her up on my way home. I don’t have any children, but I expect this is what it’s like for parents: dropping their kid off and picking them up. Only my “kid” can’t tell me how her day went. But it doesn’t matter. I can see from the webcam that Holly is having fun.

Why is it a good idea to use a crate when traveling with your dog?

When traveling, it’s nice to be able to take our four footed family friends along with us. When it’s a short car ride, it might be fine for the dog to ride loose in the back. But sometimes, you need a crate. This is particularly true with air travel.

Airplane companies don’t typically allow dogs to wander freely about the cargo hold. By putting the dog into a crate, you limit the amount of trouble he can get in to during your trip.

By keeping him in a crate, you can keep him safer. He is unlikely to chew on anything dangerous while in his crate, and he is unlikely to escape and run off, which would be very bad considering he will not know his surroundings.

Considerations for traveling with a dog in a crate

What things should you take into consideration when traveling with your dog in a crate.The first thing to consider is that your dog has regular access to water.

If it’s inconvenient to provide a water source in the crate, then you must stop at regular intervals to offer your dog some water. During your water breaks, it’s also a good idea to allow your dog to have a bathroom break.

Dogs do not like to soil their sleeping places, so he will not want to pee or poop inside the crate.

But if left for too long between breaks, your dog may have no choice. Depending on how long your trip is, you may also need to feed your dog. After feeding, it’s a good idea to give him an extended bathroom and rest break to allow him to digest his food a bit before you resume traveling.

When traveling by plane, you may not have access to your dog during the flight. Ensure your dog is well hydrated prior to putting him in the crate. Stewards in charge of the dogs during flight will likely check on them during the flight and may be able to offer them water. Obviously bathroom breaks are not practical during a flight.